Ex-Chicago cop admits taking bribes from tow truck drivers

The stranded motorist was in on it, as were the bickering tow truck operators.

The only one who didn't know what was going on was Ali Haleem, a crooked Chicago police officer accused of regularly making extra cash by illegally steering business to bribe-paying truck drivers.

As part of the FBI sting in 2008, one undercover female agent posed as a motorist stranded by a flat tire at 47th Street and Cicero Avenue. Two competing tow trucks showed up at the scene vying for the business — one with two undercover FBI agents and the other with a real tow truck driver who was secretly cooperating with the FBI and had a history with Haleem.

On Monday the former cop pleaded guilty in federal court to not only taking a $300 payoff for steering the business to his bribe-paying buddy that day but also selling him three handguns despite knowing he was a convicted felon and not legally permitted to possess a weapon.

But the sting five years ago has paid off in other ways for federal prosecutors. Sources had previously confirmed to the Tribune that Haleem went on to act as a government mole, secretly recording conversations to help unravel an alleged scam in which the onetime campaign treasurer to former state Sen. Ricky Hendon and at least two others allegedly paid kickbacks for federal grants. Haleem also helped catch two tax analysts for the Cook County Board of Review who allegedly were reducing tax assessments for payoffs.

Hendon has not been charged with wrongdoing, and the others have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Donovan asked U.S. District Judge John Lee on Monday to delay Haleem's sentencing until the fall so that he can testify at upcoming trials.

Haleem, 46, an officer for 18 years, resigned last fall, a few months before he was charged in January. He had been assigned to the Chicago Lawn district when first confronted by federal authorities in 2008. He remained on desk duty, stripped of his police powers, until his resignation.

Prosecutors plan to recommend a 20-month prison term for Haleem at his sentencing Oct. 18, according to his plea agreement.

The agreement revealed that the FBI had set up its sting in March 2008.

The undercover driver asked Haleem, who was in uniform and driving a marked Chicago squad car, for a recommendation on which of the tow truck drivers to hire.

"All right, listen, she's staying with us, so you guys out," Haleem allegedly told the undercover FBI agents in one of the trucks. After one tried to dispute the decision, Haleem ordered them both to leave, according to his plea agreement.

Haleem also pleaded guilty to pocketing a combined $1,500 for selling three semi-automatic pistols to the convicted felon in late 2007 and 2008.